"It makes it easier to come to work knowing I have a financial cushion."

How he celebrated his win:

"Debt was the first thing to go, then I added a few things to our house ... It is hard not to go out and buy a luxury car ... but my overall focus is on having a comfortable life."

Why he chose the lump sum:

"I believe the annuity would've been about $35,000 a year for 20 years after taxes. I decided to go with the lump sum because I don't want to deal with the extra taxes for the next two decades. And who knows if I will live that long."